Stopped by here with JLindros on the trip through Montreal. Inside was very high class, almost industrial with all the polished metal. Beers were written on a chalkboard on the wall near the entrance and across from where one would sit at the bar. Bar tender was not very attentive at all, but upon having hop questions the bar tender got the head brewer, Isael Dagenais, who came over and explained his beers. The brewer offered us tastes of upcoming beers and all around turned a rather mediocre bar experience (as once the head brewer came over to sit down and talk to us, the bar tender ceased paying us any attention) into the type of experience we were hoping to find in Montreal. Definitely a highlight of our trip up.

11 beers on tap, all brewed on sight, and a few Belgian bottles. Decent pieces. Didn't get food.

Very high class atmosphere, very chic and almost but not quite pretentious. Bartenders were ok but not very tentative at first, but the brewer himself was very helpful and friendly, he talked a lot and gave us samples of up and coming beers. He really made the difference of a so-so visit to a great one. One of the highlights of the trip.

The first of just a few places I had time to visit on a short trip to Montreal. Decent vibe here, noir-ish. There was a fairly good selection of beers to choose from, with a good range of styles. I believe samplers were available, but unfortunately the only beers I really had an interest in were only available in regular-sized pours. Thus--since it had already been a long day, and I had a tasting the next day--I only sampled two of the beers here, a DIPA and the Saison Framboise. Both were pretty average. The service left something to be desired. My bartender was evasive and detached for the most part. Took at least 5 minutes for him to take my drink order once I sat at the bar, and after that no service until several minutes of my glass being empty. It looked like they had small snacky food options, but nothing that really drew my interest.

Overall, this was not a bad place, but I doubt I would ever go back, mainly because of the service. And the beer didn't really leave me wanting more. Seems like there are other better bars in the nearby vicinity.

PS - If I remember correctly, this place does not take credit cards, and will only accept US money in $20 denoms or less.

My initial impression is that of an urban/artistic diner. The bar and stools surrounding it give me this impression. Nice view of the brewing tanks beyond the bars. Big chalkboard with prices, descriptions (including ABV) and names of beers. The service was ok at first. Had to approach the bar but she let me try a beer before buying so that was cool. Again, not much vibe since it was early in the day. Has an artsy/retro feel to it that my wife would appreciate. I liked it and will come back for sure.

Le Cheval Blanc is one of the best brewpubs in Montreal and it's one of my favorites. I've drank there many times on numerous stays in Montreal and have always enjoyed their beer and atmosphere. I have no idea what happened during the previous reviewer's visit, but his one time experience is the complete opposite of my 15+ visits. I find it interesting(and telling) that he joined BA on 6/18/11 for the sole purpose of slamming Le Cheval Blanc and hasn't been back here since.

Le Cheval Blanc's beers are well made and they offer a very wide range of styles. The cask brown ale they had during my two week stay in August was excellent. The staff have always been polite and helpful and I've never seen them act rudely to anyone. I really like Cheval Blanc's slightly edgy(in a good way) vibe and the mixed group of people that frequent the place. I think Cheval Blanc is at it's best after dark and I often make it my final brewpub stop of the night. Whenever you go, give yourself time to adjust to the quirky ambiance and I think you'll really enjoy it.

One of the things I like best about Montreal's brewpubs is that they're small compared to American versions and each has a unique look and atmosphere that is very distinct. Ignore the previous review. Le Cheval Blanc deserves a serious visit from any craft beer fan exploring Montreal's offerings.

This was the last day of a 2 week tour of Montreal microbreweries and the worst experience. Not only did the beer leave a bad diacetyl taste in my mouth but the service was horrible. When I asked if I could exchange my drink for another one the waitress not only denied my request, but got upset and began berate and curse at me for asking. I should also mention that this was after we paid a table fee and tip. In Montreal on business I was having drinks with representatives from five different breweries. We were so appalled that we left without finishing our drinks. I would not recommend this place to anybody.

A well worth it stop amongest many choices in Montreal. A darker more mellow bar to have a pint of one of their excellent house beers or open your wallet for an impressive selection of imports - De Molen, Saint Somewhere, Bruery, Jolly Pumpkin etc. They've got kind of a 50's retro vibe going on with the lighting and formica tables. Service was tops, and despite our (my) woefully inadequete French we were well taken care of. Frequently serving a cask selection as well.

Popped in here on the Friday night of Mondial and was not surprised to see a large and eclectic crowd. The bar itself is surprisingly large, and had no problem accommodating the mass of people in there. Bizarre feeling to the place - part dive bar and part trendy bar. Seemed like a serious beer place, though, and the crowd seemed to know what they were about. Alongside the regular brews there was a great selection of funky wonders, and we worked our way through brett warrior IPA (100% warrior hops and brett-inoculated), 2005 Boon Geueze Mariage Parfait, and India Rouge on cask. I was also given some samples by other people at the table, and while the quality seemed to vary between awful (brett warrior) and great (India Rouge), all the beers did seem to have been kept well and displayed competence.

Service was decent, and for the non-Frnacophones out there, English was spoken. Food menu appeared to be limited, and none was being served by the time we got there (11pm). Prices seemed to be pretty decent.

A decent stop in the area, which would make a good stop on a pub crawl. Its not at the same level as L'Amere a Boire or Dieu du Ciel, but the addition of a cask is a huge plus, and I'd happily go back again.

Being about 7 blocks from my office, I would drive or walk by here regularly and notice the bummy looking boomers smoking in front, talking loudly and looking drunk. Apart from the name, nothing made me think this place was different from all the other crusty bars in the neighborhood. A few reviews on BA convinced me to check it out.

Yes! What I can now say is that I was partly right about my prejudice but it's all worth it.
The beers on tap are (I'm pretty sure) all their own recipes and brewed on the premises. Some are very good. Some taste kind of dirty and/or homebrewed.
They also have a smallish selection of great imports.

The bar staff is nice but doesn't know much about beer. I asked the barman which nitro-taps he had to which he pointed the cask handle. I then said the ones with the black tips and got a good answer.

I've met lots of interesting people there like brewers and beer enthusiast tourists but also (mostly) saw a lot more nutcases and freaks. I don't have a problem with druggies and freaks, they're often very entertaining and lots of my friends are, but sometimes you just wan't to enjoy a good beer in a quiet setting or with like-minded people.

The menu is particularly simple but very good and of quality just don't arrive there hungry, they're basically snacks. They don't know anything about the food they serve either: I asked what kind of saucisson were in my plate and they couldn't really say.

Cool atmosphere but definitely not ideal to taste some of the expensive (up to $35) imports.

In the two weeks following my first visit I have returned 6 times for 5 hours at a time and twice for a quick 20 minute pint. I've also introduced 5 friends to the place who all said it was cool/great and wanted to go back.
They also have concerts/shows which can be great fun or annoying depending on your mood.

All in all: The beers are great. and the people are either super chill and interesting or crazy and disturbing (in every sense of the word).

Stopped in here over the weekend to meet up with some friends. About 5 to 10 minutes up from Berri-Uqam station.

Very artsy atmosphere, pretty hip looking crowd, most everyone chatting and downing some pints. Decent interior, slightly trendy but still has an old school feel. Seemed like a lot of locals gather here.

They did have a cask engine and I enjoyed a good pint of their IPA Rousse. Had a few beers and all were pretty solid, nothing crazy but definitely good value. They have a small food menu, pretty much the norm in Montreal brewpubs. Had a fantastic plate of cheese and olives though. Service was good, the servers didn't go out of their way very often but it never took very long to grab a pint. A good stop in Montreal. Not a must like DDC but definitely required if in Montreal often.

My wife and I did a quick, two day brewpub and good food tour of Montreal (and then on to Burlington VT) in early June of 2009. Our brewpub stops in Montreal were determined by high BA ratings and proximity to public transit.

These five Montreal stops put me at 273 stops in my quest to visit every quality brewer/brewpub. Below is a ranked list of our stops starting with the best at the top. They were all worthy visits and Montreal is a great destination if you ever have the chance to visit. The specific review follows the list.

Le Cheval Blanc had 8 house beers coming in around 5% each. Atmosphere is lounge meets diner (which we guessed is what it was in a former life). Funniest part of this stop was when my wife tried to flex her French and the server told her, in plain English, to speak English.

Fourteen mostly Belgian guest bottles. I had a sampler with blanche, Coup de grisou, non-filtered amarillo pale ale, India dark ale, and a 6 month imperial stout. Kudos for offering such unique and well crafted beers.

A bit away from downtown, but worth the trip. Great selection and with amazing prices. Where the hell else can you get a 20oz rauchbier for $3.25?? Atmosphere's dark, like a 50's diner with a secret. The whole thing is rows of tables along the left wall, with a diner counter on the right. Bar has bolted down diner stools you couldn't possibly fall outta, and there's so many good beers you want to test that theory. 1 raised table on a dias in the back of the room, and a small patio out back. Went there in the daytime, and the place was still over half full, but not noisy.

Interesting place...long and skinny with the bar on the right as you walk in the door. This leads to a raised area at the back, which might be a stage during performance times....but for your group of 8 it is where we sat!

A better than average quality beer place East of downtown and north of Old Montreal. A must stop for the beer geek. Safe. Just about every table taken, but the bar fairly wide open, so where do you think I sat. Crowd of Twenties to Fourties Quebecoix, with the long hair thing. So while harmless though they stare at you, it may be intimidating to someone not used to this sort of thing. Bartender was knowledgeable and competent and in charge. Very reasonabley priced. Fairly dark at night. Like other Quebec establishments, something to read for my non-drinking friends, in English please. I will go back.

The final stop of my Mondiale de le Biere sojourn, took me here. Located a very short walk down St-Denis from LAmere a Boire and a left on Ontario East, Le Cheval Blanc, or The White Horse is in a rather scruffy neighborhood off rue Berri  shuttered storefronts, scattered trash, drunken squatters amid the fragrant scent of urine. Lets face it, while no tourist to Montreal will ever accidentally stumble upon this place, any dedicated Beer Advocate would know of it  and seek it out as a beer destination.

And it is a destination worth doing so. Previous reviews have remarked that Le Cheval Blanc was once a diner. Possibly so, given that it is a very dark and narrow place with a long bar (counter)  its stools bolted down - on the right and some raggedy-looking tables along the opposite wall. (Of course, it was dark, so who knows what they were?) Include in some red lanterns, a few slow-moving ceiling fans that rotate over the heads of grungy, unwashed slackers and add a chalk board listing a wide selection of house beers, such as my choice: the India Rouge Amercaine IPA (62 IBU, 6% ABV).

Le Cheval Blanc earns no points for aesthetics, but gets much respect for being a very unusual place to spend a final night in Montreal enjoying a beer.

a ways down rue st denis you'll find this sparsely decorated steel walled industrial jaunt filled with noisy college students, local drunks, and the occasional wide eyed tourist looking for a good pour...decent selection, usually serving 7 or 8 of their own which range from bad to not that bad...easy to get to, right near several metro stops, but nothing that blew me away...attentative service, but when i asked about one of the beers i was told that it "had some hops and some malt character"...not a place id want to spend a significant amount of time or money

One of the more interesting brewpubs we visited! Upon approach on the street, there were quite a few people outside Le Cheval Blanc on the sidewalk, very drunk and rather obnoxious (it was rather late on a weekday)...not a great first impression, but I guess at least they had a good time! The interior is certainly interesting--you can tell this place has been here a long time! Lots of black, lots of stainless steel (including the bar!). Long and narrow, and possessing an interesting vibe with a diverse crowd--college kids, loners getting drunk at the bar, and couples. Quite a few brews on the beer board--honestly, I can't remember what all was there, we were pretty tipsy by this point of the evening. The bartender was effecient without being overly friendly. I remember the blanche I had was quite good, and I wished we had had more time and alcohol tolerance to spend there! Certainly worth a visit!

Headed back to the Le Cheval Blanc after a sunny afternoon at the Mondiale and subsequent visits to Dieu De Ciel and Vices et Versa. It was a final stop after a long day of travel and drinking. Handily situated close by to the Hotel where I was staying with BA Erica, we ended up meeting BAs Andy and Jennie as well as again bumping into BAs goodbyeohio and Spesh, plus their entourage of friends and loved ones with whom we had shared a few brews earlier at the Mondiale.

From the outside it looks rather simple; a large white lettered sign sits above a two-tone frontage and simply advertises the establishment as the The White Horse. To the right a black frontage with windows whilst to the left a silvered frontage houses the entrance, a little Art Deco in style.

History is engrained here, but it never seems to leap out at you. It was Montreals first licensed Brewpub way back in 1986. The interior is a mixture of several decades; overall the 1970s punctuates all aspects with some retro 30s fittings, 50s décor and a sliver of modern day 80s and 90s here and there. Potted plants, which look plastic, juxtapose the red paper lantern style lighting. A clock sits at the back, rimmed with a green neon light. It is all rather dimly lit, yet the darkened interior certainly adds to the cozy ambience. T-shirts and LCB attire and other BrewPub for sale articles randomly line the walls behind the bar. The tops of two stainless tanks are covered with glass spherical domes that add a Lost in Space feel to the already confused interior. Difficult to nail down - except for the fact that it works the eclectic décor angle rather well.

The inside is a long thin room, with the stainless steel topped bar to the right, whilst seating with tables, line the whole of the left wall. A small-stepped raised seating area is right at the back, this is thankfully lined with dark wooden paneling  this breaks up the rest of the walls which are all lined with green marble-effect Formica panels to a height of 5 feet. The Urinoir/Urinals are hidden from view, its a Quebec sport it seems to watch punters piss themselves whilst they frantically try to find the toilets  well here its the green-marble panel that is slightly darker than all the others just beyond the bar on the right hand side and it is actually a door, thanks to Andy Crouch for pointing that one out!

Beer range was good, 6 regular brews: Lager, Red Ale, Wit, Saison, Maibock and Stout plus a Seasonal Special I recall. I opted for the cloudy and quite funky White. The spiced coriander and Curacao in this one were omnipotent and the all natural character was self-evident. I sampled someones Stout and that too was a solid interpretation. The beers seemed OK, maybe above average once in a while, but nothing shattering.

Cheval Blanc does food but I had already eaten; the Menu contains snacks like Nachos and Cheeses.

Service was OK, I always had beer in my glass and we certainly did not get ignored.

I enjoyed Le Cheval Blanc; it has self-defined character and a unique identity which grows on you. It is not drawn down with a Restaurant crowd, but just frequented by drinkers enjoying a few beers and chatting in a relaxed laid-back ambience. Sadly, as close as it was to the Hotel where I was staying, I would have liked to have spent more time in here to be honest. Maybe a quiet afternoon with a few brews, or an early morning hour session to close out the day. Whilst the beers are not the greatest, Id still love to get back here.

visited this place later at night on a friday- it was full of after-work people, students, and some beer fest peeps.

this place is right smack-dab in the heart of prostitute central. if nothing else, that gives LCB some local flavor. the place itself reminds me alot of new york city and their bars.. it's set up in that deep but narrow railroad car fashion. there is a bar to the immediate right, but the left wall is crammed full of small, cramped tables and chairs. they go all the way back to the rear. bathrooms are on the right, as well as two bubble-domed beer kettles that look like rejects from a futuristic brewing movie. the toilets are oddly situated right across from the seating area and are the size of coach bus bathrooms. the walls of the bar area are covered in a hospital green marbled pattern, random plants hang from the ceiling. one small wall near the door has those thick glass tiles set into it, which feels very random. the place is dark and barely lit in an orange-reddish hue. kinda overall has a real bare bones/rummage shop feel.

the waitress we were assigned was very happy-go-lucky and friendly. when i asked her what the difference was between the $15 shirt and the $25 shirt, she spent five minutes researching the answer. also, she never let my glass sit empty for too long (big plusses!).

beers on tap during my visit were helles lager, stout, belgian wit, saison, maibock, india red ale and something called 'sparta'. couldn't quite figure out the style on that one. the i.r.a. was excellent with a citrusy understanding of the us west coast beers. the maibock was fruity and rich, deep with complex malts. most of the other beers i tried were ok- but fresh. i've had their bottled product and i definitely prefer 'dining in.' a good place to sit with a group, enjoy some fresh brews, and listen to actual good music (the only beer place in montreal that offers such an ambience).

there is food, i didn't have any, but the nachos looked really, really good. had we not just gorged on thai.. they might have been in order.

i don't think my group dug this place as much as me, but i have sentimental feelings of LCB. among other things, it's the first brewpub i ever visited.. ever. i can then remember drinking the fruity framboise and the creamy blanche wit and having some good conversation with friends. that's exactly what i did this time and i had a damn good time. just not the best beer in town.

This place rocked. I can't argue with a place that places The Clash, Radiohead, and Le Tigre. It was very crowded to say the least, but then again, my friends and i showed up at 11pm on a Saturday. The waiters helped us out by finding a place to stand and offering up their beer menu of 7 beers, i believe. I had the Cream Stout, Blonde Lager, and the killer Triple. The lager was okay, not my thing, but the Stout and Triple were exceptional. The people that hang out there come off as real snotty indie types, but the staff was much more friendly, and i had a chat about beer with the bartender. The prices initially frightened me, 5 loons for a 14oz. pint, but the product made the exchange fair, and then again, i'm a cheap college student, anything over 3 dollars is too much. I would definatley pay 5 anyday for this beer though. I will be there again when i can get the gas money.

Very nice atmosphere. Narrow but deep from the street, a long bar area with a few chalkboards listing the day's beers. The brew tanks are in the seating area (in some metal and glass casing), so you can actually set your drink on them and sit next to the beer you're drinking as it ferments. Not too smoky.

I didn't try the food, but I got a sampler of 5 oz. beers: blanche, amber, cerise, and a few others. Beers were pretty enjoyable, although nothing stood out as fantastic. They had eight or so on tap; the cerise was the most interesting.

Funky and retro, Cheval Blanc seems to thumb it's nose at some of todays modern concrete,glass, and steel brewpubs.
Kind of long and narrow on the interior, with lots of tile and stainless, in groovey 70's tones.
Tables on one side, bar opposite- facing the cooler doors.
In describing this place, start at "unique" and take a left on "irreverant" ave.
Sort of like a french dining car with cool lighting fixtures, and beers that range from great to just plain odd.
Oh, yea, and let's not forget the small fermenter with a clear dome over it next to the bar, that looks like the head of a robot from "Lost in Space".
Always a wide range of beers here, featuring yeasts pioneered by the infamous Pierre Rajotte.
No big beers on my last visit, but a delicious Wit, an interesting mint-stout, and a pungent,warming Ceyenne concoction.
Didn't try the food, but the favorite local- panini, looked obtainable.
They also keep a stock of bottled beers in the cooler from brews gone by, so don't be afraid to ask.
Big ups to the barkeep that night, friendly guy, and he pointed us the one of the best meals/restaurants we had that weekend.
It was a hole in wall Portugese place, family owned and run, and had some of the best damn mesquite grilled calamari ever. Friggin' cheap too.

I must say after all these months of trying to get to Montreal for the pub beer, this little neighbourhood pub was the positive surprise of the trip. The atmosphere was laid back ( I went in the day time) in a traditional local tavern. Lots of original tavern decore survives. Great selection and the marzen I had was a wonderful offering of the style as were the other beers..well made, tastey and fresh. I would have a hard time deciding if I liked this pub better than DDC. I will be back for more seasonals this summer.